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New York Rangers' Ryan McDonagh and New Jersey Devils' Adam Henrique (14) fight during the first period in Game 4 of their NHL Eastern Conference Final hockey playoff game in Newark, New Jersey May 21, 2012. REUTERS/Adam Hunger (ADAM HUNGER)

New York Rangers' Ryan McDonagh and New Jersey Devils' Adam Henrique (14) fight during the first period in Game 4 of their NHL Eastern Conference Final hockey playoff game in Newark, New Jersey May 21, 2012. REUTERS/Adam Hunger(ADAM HUNGER)

Infographic

Chicago Blackhawks' Marian Hossa is taken off the ice on a stretcher after being injured following a check by Phoenix Coyotes' Raffi Torres during Game 3 of their NHL Western Conference quarter-final playoff hockey game in Chicago, Illinois April 17, 2012. REUTERS/Jim Young

Poll

Fighting was only one of the topics covered in an Environics poll published on Thursday by The Globe and Mail, portions of which can be viewed
here and
here, but it was certainly the most divisive.

Non-fans hate it. Die hard fans are for it. And everyone else is in between.

One of the most fascinating results from this survey of 1,000 Canadians was simply getting a reaction to the statement: "Fighting is an acceptable part of hockey.”

Those identifying themselves as "huge fans" in large part said yes, with 70 per cent totally or somewhat agreeing to the statement. (Only 12 per cent disagreed totally.)

Those who are not interested in hockey at all, meanwhile, overwhelmingly said no, with 82 per cent totally or somewhat disagreeing.

Then there are all those in the middle – the occasional hockey watchers – who also came down on the no side (60 per cent).

So if you include everyone surveyed, the opinion comes out fairly strongly against fighting in hockey, but among fans alone, there's a clear split.

Let's break down who fits in where first. Only 24 per cent of those surveyed said they were "huge fans."

The largest portion of the group, meanwhile, was the occasional fans (42 per cent), followed by those who either don't like or are uninterested in hockey entirely (33 per cent).

If we throw out the non-fans and focus on those who are watching at least some of the time that leaves us with 51 per cent of hockey fans surveyed who totally or somewhat agree that fighting is an acceptable part of the game.